The present invention relates to a device or toy for adults and hand-adept children which allows the user to combine one or more musical sounds to create a seemingly endless variety of harmonized sounds into an orchestral symphony. The device allows a user to place by finger manipulation the various, preferably three-dimensional musical instruments or pieces (each of which corresponds to a different musical instrument) into an orchestral pit to activate a mechanism which casues the device to play those sounds. Alternatively, the device allows the user to remove one or more of the musical instruments from the orchestral pit and to thereby have the remaining sounds of the instruments within the orchestral pit continue to make their associated musical sounds, collaboratively into a musically pleasing symphonic sound. The decision as to which instruments to play and place in the orchestral pit and to remove therefrom is entirely up to the user. Whether only one instrument is within the pit or several instruments are placed therein, the sounds associated with that musical instrument(s) within the pit aurally merge together into a harmonizing and melodically pleasing musical set of sounds, preferably, one or more of the components of the symphony. Preferably, several multi-channel symphonies are loaded into the device so that the sounds of the instruments can be caused to play their part(s) of one or more symphonies.
The invention comprises a base, configured like a large lima-bean in footprint but intended to represent a concert hall where the three-dimensional musical instruments or pieces surround an absent maestro, virtually but not realistically, standing in the middle. Here, however, in the middle is a recessed orchestral pit area. Once one or more of the three-dimensional musical instruments are placed from the outside perimeter (their “ready to play” location) into the orchestral pit area, the sound associated with that instrument is heard, a part of the overall orchestral symphony. The accompanying additional three-dimensional musical instruments or pieces, which can be selectively placed and thus entered into the orchestral pit to play music (and selectively removed) are initially positioned around the outer perimeter of the base. When a user desires to hear that instrument's' musical contribution to the symphony, he/she removes it from the “ready” position around the base and places that piece into the orchestral pit area. By a mechanical, RFID, magnetic, or other sensing and coupling mechanism or means, placement of the instruments or pieces into the orchestral pit, causes the internal electronics to sense which instrument/piece is within the orchestral pit area and this, in turn, causes the pre-recorded channel or aural track (stored for each instrument for each of the symphonies on an IC) of the overall musical symphony to play, through the speakers. The musical instruments or playing pieces placed within the orchestral pit area can be heard by the user or others. Removal of the instruments/pieces from the orchestral pit disengages that mechanical, RFID, magnetic, or other sensing and playing mechanism and causes the pre-recorded channel of aural sounds for that instrument to cease playing as a part of the overall symphony. Adding and subtracting various of the multiple three-dimensional musical instruments into and out of the orchestral pit area provides a very aurally pleasing device, one that teaches the additive and subtractive values of the instruments of a symphony orchestra and, when the device is provided with several pre-recorded symphonies on an addressable IC, each symphony or musical composition being multi-channel and comprised of several musical instruments, an entertaining device, a teaching device, a toy, etc. is provided.
Preferably, according to the present invention, there are thirteen, three-dimensionally (although two dimensional or flat playing pieces can be used) molded or formed, finger manipulative, individual musical instruments or playing pieces associated with the main base of the present invention. Each instrument is color coded and shaped like one of the instruments in a real symphony. So, for example, there is a Clarinet, a Flute, a Trumpet, a Tuba, a Snare Drum, a set of Cymbals, a Xylophone, a Piano, an Accordion, a Sitar, a Guitar, a Koto, and a Violin. Each playing piece of the present device is preferably three dimensional, finger/hand manipulative (like a chess piece) and a visual representation of one of the musical instruments which add to the musical composition to be played by the device. Each instrument, according to the preferred embodiment, is formed or molded from a different colored plastic or rubber-like material and the small base of each instrument upon which it stands is geometrically unique so that, for example, the drum is red and rests or sits on a small red circular base whereas the piano is formed of blue plastic or rubber and sits on a small rectangular blue base. The main base of the device (to be distinguished from the small bases of the instruments) is provided with rim-colored recesses in shape and size corresponding to the small bases of the instruments so that the instruments are conveniently housed, until placed in the orchestral pit area, in their correspondingly matching shape and color recess. Thus, this aspect of the invention corresponds to a shape “sorter” and color matcher, which is additive to the play and teaching aspects/values of the device. Also, preferably, the name of each instrument is etched into the small base of the instrument pieces to teach the user the name and spelling of each instrument. As mentioned, the small base of each musical instrument/piece is molded into a different geometric shape with each base corresponding to and placeable into a like-shaped recess in the base of the device. There are thirteen musical instruments or playing pieces and each is preferably the same size or slightly larger than a conventional chess piece.
Preferably, the three-dimensional musical instruments or playing pieces comprise a light green clarinet with a square base; a yellow flute with a triangular base; an orange trumpet sitting on a pentagon-shaped base; a light pink tuba on a triangular base where one side of the triangle is outwardly curved, the base thus resembling a pie shape; a red drum on a circular base; light purple set of cymbals on a four-leaf clover (in cross section) base; an aqua-blue xylophone on a five star (in cross section) base; a dark blue piano on a rectangular base; a dark purple accordion on a hexagon base; a hot pink sitar on a cross or plus sign-shaped base; a white guitar on a crescent moon shaped base; a forest green koto on a rhombus-like shaped base, preferably where the sides are curved inwardly; and a brown violin sitting upon an oval-shaped base. The top half of each three dimensional musical instrument or playing piece of the toy-like device is shaped to resemble a corresponding musical instrument which will “play” or elicit the musical notes for aural listening, once that instrument is removed from its recess in the main base of the device and placed into the orchestral pit area.
Preferably, to facilitate learning of the instruments' names and to facilitate an association or learning of the names with the aurally perceived notes, on the base of each piece—the name of the instrument is embossed or otherwise provided. The present invention, therefore, allows an adult or sophisticated child (sophisticated only in that the device requires some measure of fine finger and hand coordination, more than that of an infant, for example) to learn the additive and subtractive benefits of various musical instruments into the symphonic compositions, the basics of certain aspects of music (which instruments comprise the strings, which instruments are brass, which are percussion, which are considered keyboards, etc. and their names, too. In addition, the device teaches or reinforces the learning of spelling of the instruments, sorting and matching colors and shapes, etc. The pieces are large enough (greater than the 1″ cylinder choking hazard test) such that a young child will not choke on them and are also lightweight and made of plastic so that they should not break or hurt a child. However, clearly, the ability to carry the main base of the device and manipulate the individual instruments from their small bases to the orchestral pit area and back is not meant for a small tot or young infant.
The base of the device itself is preferably translucent, and this allows the inner components/workings to be observed by a user. Located inside the base are the electronic components and accompaniments for the invention (integrated circuitry with the pre-stored and recorded multiple instrument channels, one for each of the instruments for each symphony) as well as the batteries, speakers, and the other connecting wiring, a wiring harness and a battery casing. The device is intended to operate and be driven by a set of standard, available batteries.
The music played by the present invention is preferably controlled and activated (and shut-off) by a Radio-Frequency Identification (“RFID”) mechanism located in the small base of each of the musical instruments which cooperates with one or more RFID readers in the orchestral pit area of the main base of the device. RFID is a technology that uses and transmits radio waves to transfer data from an electronic tag, called an RFID tag or label, attached to an object, through a reader for the purpose of identifying and tracking the location of the object. The tag's information is stored electronically, in this case, within the small base of each of the musical instruments or playing pieces. According to the present invention, the RFID tag (stored inside each three-dimensional musical instrument, preferably within the small base upon which the instrument rests) includes a small RF receiver mechanism and a transmitter. An RFID reader (an antenna placed under the orchestral pit inside the main base of the device) transmits an encoded radio signal to seek and sense placement of an instrument within the orchestral pit area or to interrogate the tag within the small base(s) of the instrument(s) or piece(s) when they are placed within the orchestral pit area. The tag within the musical instrument(s) receives the transmitted interrogation message and responds with its identification information. The tags are passive RFID tags that do not require the use of a battery, but instead use the radio energy transmitted by the reader as its energy source. This allows the power for sensing, activation and playing of the notes of the instrument or playing piece to be contained within the main base, with no battery or power required to be within the individual instruments. This allows for a single replacement of the batteries of the entire device to also serve as replacement of all of the reading and sensing mechanism, including the batteries for the RFID aspects of the device. It also allows for the individual musical playing pieces to be smaller than if they had contained batteries and allows for economy of molding of the playing pieces. The RFID system is relative High-Frequency (HF: 13.56 MHz) yet preferably small range. As each musical piece is individually added into the orchestral pit, the RF reader in the main base will transmit a signal to that piece within the orchestral pit area, the tag will be identified and send its unique identifier back to the RFID mechanism in the main base and will thus serve to identify each piece within the orchestral pit. The main base, with the electronics, the multi-channel stored IC with the digital sounds of the instruments, will be accessed, and the “sounds” transmitted by signals to the speakers for playing that instrument's “part” in the overall symphony composition, i.e., the notes corresponding to the contribution made by the instrument within the orchestral pit area.
The front of the base of the device may also include a series of controls for the user, with a variety of depressible (or otherwise manually manipulable) buttons corresponding to different commands for the orchestral music system. Most prominently, and in the center of the front of the main base—“play” and “stop” buttons control the start and end of a symphonic composition or a song being played, or to change the symphonic or song selection. Preferably located at one side of the center of the on-off (controlling) portion of the main base, there can be provided a set of five buttons which indicate the five categories of available instruments for location of any one or more into the orchestral pit area. So, for example, a button designated for “woodwinds,” “brass,” “percussion,” “keyboards,” and “strings” is provided. When one or more of those buttons are depressed, lights will illuminate corresponding in muted color to the applicable three dimensional musical instruments which are within that section of the orchestra (“woodwind” button will illuminate the light in front of and in the same but a muted color to the flute and the clarinet, for example). Thus, this aspect, too, is meant for teaching basics of music to adults and sophisticated children (i.e., not infants). Proximal to the holding recess for each musical instrument/playing piece (atop the perimeter of the main base) can be located a small fluorescent light, each color basically coordinated to the musical sections of the orchestra, woodwind, brass, etc.) for the corresponding musical instrumental or piece. When one of the buttons relating to a musical instrument category is depressed or pushed, the light bulb(s) located in front of those instrument(s) which correspond to that category or section of the orchestra are illuminated.
Specifically, when the “woodwind” button is depressed or pushed, the lights in front of the clarinet and flute are illuminated; when the “brass” button is depressed or pushed, the lights in front of the trumpet and tuba turn on; when the “percussion” button is depressed or pushed, the lights in front of the drum, cymbals, and xylophone activate and are illuminated. Correspondingly, when the “keyboard” button is pushed, it activates the lights in front of the piano and accordion; and when the “strings” button is depressed and pushed, it causes the lights in front of the sitar, guitar, koto, and violin to be illuminated, all in basically the same color as the other member instruments of that section. This provides another learning opportunity for a user, as it teaches not only what each instrument is, but the different sections or categories of instruments of a symphonic orchestra as well.
While a song is playing, a user may press another button to determine which instrument(s) he or she would like to use which will be an accompaniment instrument or a melodic additive instrument. This aspect, too, is controlled by a push button on the main base and the small illuminatable lights in front or adjacent/promixal the recesses for the musical instruments/playing pieces. The control panel for the invention also allows a user to control the song selection, stop in the middle of a song and begin a new one, alter the volume of the song, and even alter the tempo. The control system, and all buttons which connect to the integrated circuitry and wiring containing the multiple digital signal tracks for the songs and the controllers for the lights, buttons, speakers, batteries, etc., are accomplished by suitable wiring, integrated circuits, electronics and RF readers stored inside the main base. The entire system is controlled by an on-off, preferably slide switch located on the front of the main base. It can include an auto-timed off mechanism, to preserve battery life.
In the back of the main base, seemingly underneath the platform for the recesses for the musical instruments (the top surface of the main base being slanted from back to front similar to a stage at a concert hall) there is a holding compartment which can store or house all of the orchestral musical instruments/playing pieces while moving the toy from location to another location. This tends to ensure that no pieces will be accidentally lost.
To use the present invention, a user loads the same with batteries (the device is normally sold with them) and then turns the device “on” by sliding the on-off switch. The user then depresses a “Play” switch or button which cues up a first of fifteen musical compositions. A random generator can be used or the symphonies can be cued in a specific sequence, all according to the manufacturer's choice. Several musical compositions or symphonies are intended to be stored on the integrated circuitry, each being broken down into individual channels of a series of digital notes, one for each of the instruments which are part of the collective instrumental symphonic composition. So, for example, if the musical composition is Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, then one channel of the integrated circuit will store and selectively play the notes of that composition as if emanating from a violin (if the violin is moved from its storage or individual recess position into the collective orchestral pit area). Another stored channel will contain the series of digital notes from the same Twinkle Twinkle Little Star composition but the notes are for another musical instrument, say, for example, the clarinet. When the musical instrument or playing piece resembling the clarinet is removed from its recess and its small base placed into the orchestral pit area, the sound of the clarinet adds to that of the violin, with the two pieces being in timing sync and now both playing their share of the musical composition—Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. If another instrument is then placed into the orchestral pit area, say, for example, the piano, it, too, will commence playing the notes of the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and it commences its notes when it is placed into the pit but again in sync with the continued notes of the violin and the clarinet. Those three will then continue to play, like a trio of instruments of the same musical symphonic composition. Preferably, a set of six instruments can be placed into the orchestral pit area (selected from the available preferably thirteen musical instruments or playing pieces) and they will all play the same musical composition but the individual notes will be aurally identifiable, just like a real orchestra. When any one or more of the instruments are removed from the orchestral pit area and their small bases placed back into their storage or holding recesses (although not required), that instrument's notes no longer can be heard and no longer form a component of the musical symphonic composition.
The device is preferably provided with up to 15 musical symphony compositions, each of which is playable by one or more, preferably all 13 but in combinations of 6 at a time, musical instruments. Thus, the digital sound track of notes of each musical composition is recorded and stored on an integrated circuit each with its own channel which is activated by the musical instrument or playing piece being placed into the orchestral pit area.
Once the toy is turned “on” and the “play” button has been pushed, a user may remove the instrument from its recess and place it into the center orchestral pit area, and the notes of the musical instrument corresponding to that piece will play that instrument's notes for the selected symphonic piece or song. If a second piece is added to the orchestral pit, a melody of those two instruments will be played. The same will occur as more pieces are added. A user can create symphonies with any 6 (for that is the preferred capacity of the orchestral pit area) of the total of 13 instruments, for each of 15 musical compositions. Of course the orchestral pit area can be enlarged or decreased in capacity by the manufacturer, just as the available number of pieces to be selected from is a variable. Clearly the variety of played and combined instrumetns for each musical instrument is an intriguing part of the present invention and the device thus leads to a huge or at least quite a bit of non-repetitive “play” value. The orchestral pit is large enough to hold up to six musical instruments or pieces at one time. The user may select any pieces he or she desires (from the available thirteen) for the given melody of musical composition and may use just one piece. If a piece is removed (inconsequential of the order it was previously added to the orchestral pit) the sound and notes of that instrument will be removed from the melody and the music and notes of the remaining instruments in the orchestral pit will continue toplay the symphony. If yet another different instrument is added to the orchestral pit area in the removed-piece's place, that instrument's notes and sound will be added to the aurally perceived musical composition, generally audible to the user and to others. A headphone output can be provided, too, for private use. If a user changes song selection (by depressing the “new song” or “play” button, for example, the new song will begin to play the notes of the combination of instruments then in the orchestral pit area. Again, adding and removing pieces from the orchestral pit will continue playing the musical composition, with the added pieces being in tune and in sync with the timing and tune of the musical composition and the removed musical instruments/pieces being removed from the audible display while the remaining musical instruments and pieces continue to play.
Additionally, and for enhanced aesthetic and possible educational purposes, as pieces are added to the orchestral pit to play the corresponding notes of the corresponding instruments, flashing lights within the orchestral pit area will flicker all across the pit, seemingly in harmony with the music being played, and color-coordinated to match the color of the musical instruments/pieces placed in the orchestral pit area. When more pieces are added to the pit, and more instruments are therefore added to the symphony, those colored lights will shine, too, creating a visually pleasing array of colors in addition to the music.
The present invention, in its current commercial form, is intended to be sold with a total of fifteen songs from which a user can choose one for play at a time. When a song is selected with the “play” button, the device will cue up and activate that song. The selected song will be heard with only that instrument'(s) notes corresponding to that musical instrument or playing piece placed within the orchestral pit area. Controls on the main base, to the left of the center console and opposite the instrument category buttons, will alert the user (by lights associated with the recesses into which the small bases of the instruments are located, before being placed into the orchestral pit) as to which instruments will play melody, and which instruments will play accompaniment, to each instrument, musical composition or song choice. When either the “accompaniment” button or the “melody” button is pressed, the small lights in front of the playing pieces which fit that category for the played musical composition will illuminate. These indications are song specific. A user can then add or subtract any number of those instruments, up to six total into the orchestral pit area (but selected from all 13 instruments available to the user) to recreate the sound with different participating instruments. This allows for a seemingly endless array of musical possibilities, since as many as six instruments taken from 13 available instruments, and as few as one, may be played in the orchestral pit at any one time, i.e., for any one of stored 15 musical compositions. Fifteen musical compositions, any one up to six instruments selected from thirteen total instruments, provides a huge variety of aural possibilities.
In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the device is provided with a memory card slot or a USB port to allow the device to load and store even more musical compositions and/or to electronically connect to the internet or to another computer. A user can create his or her own musical compositon and individual musical instrument tracks on a computer or download the same from a website of another, with each musical composition having been broken down into multi-channels notes for the instruments of the orchestra.